Hi,
I know there are a few nurses in the forum looking for work in the canton of Vaud. just thought I`d pass on some info to you. Gets more complicated each time I speak to someone , the process of getting registered. The Red Cross now looking for proof of linguistic ability
ie.

• a diploma or some test which is at least equivalent of the European Language Portfolio level B2
• have qualified( ie nursing qualification) in a swiss language
• swiss language is mother tongue

so now think I have to go and sit the DALF/DELF exam next month. And I thought it was all going to be so easy peasy like last time!
So girls if you are doing any courses need to aim for AT LEAST this level . if anyone needs more info PM me.

Does anyone know if there are any books I can use to study for this as too far away from centre to go to preparatory course.?
JO

Is this a recent change? I had my qualifications recognised by the Red Cross last year and didn't need to do this as it was a UK (EU) qualification it was not required. The process did take some time but was fairly straight forward.

Yes!!! New requirement, When my husband accepted his job in January, he checked for me and the language was not part of the verification, and now the time has come for me to go through the process, we have found that you have to sit a test. However, it is only B2 wich with a few lessons should be fine. I only wish that they would make it as hard for all the foreign nurses in the uk who are not able to string a sentence together- I have been appalled by their poor English.
The red cross have been very helpful providing the right info etc and advise that the process should take between 2-3 months - plenty of time to do an intensive course at one of the language schools.

Thank you for the information i have been offered at job at the CHUV Lausanne and now need to battle the legal requirements and swiss 'goal-posts'...

Hello everyone!

I came here just a month ago, and I really need some help.

I am a nurse, though I was not licensed here in Switzerland at all. I speak English fluently, and I am still trying to learn high German.

Does anybody among you here know about where I should start to get a job, even temporarily, and how to acquire a nursing license here, because I was licensed in the Philippines.

Any help and information would be very much appreciated. Thank you very much and have a wonderful day!

I can unfortunately offer discouraging comments (and a glimmer of hope maybe?), my partner is a nursing student and I can say from experience that most of her collegues and the nurses at the hospitals are very swiss oriented (and born) and maybe 20% speaking english, with even many struggling to speak in high german. I have never met anyone that is not either swiss or a few Germans (mostly doctors) and one Dane...

All that said, there is a *dramatic* nursing shortage and this may work in your favor, but one of the causes for the shortage might be problems accepting foreign credentials, mainly non-EU. Switzerland is also in the process of changing their entire nursing educational system which doesn't help you find out where you fit.

All that said in order to find out more information, I would start by going to "Careum" (if you are in ZH), which is the nursing school located just behind the Unispital, on trams 5 or 6, a collection of red brick buildings (looks like bad 1980s north american high schools to me, but I have no taste anyway!). They should at least be able to provide you with information on where to go next or what qualification exams you might be able to take. Expect some hesitation from their side and don't be surprised by a first few "Its impossible"s (seems the common answer from beurocrats who dont know the real answer!).

Good luck, anbd welcome to Switzerland!

Andrew

Hi Andrew,

It looks like you ve some infrmation about nursing, do you think there might be a great posibility to find a job faster if one did there nursing here Switzerland. would you know where i can study nursing n if they conduct there lessons in english.
I will appreciate .
Thank you advance.
cheers

Hi Andrew. Thank you so much for all the useful information. I have talked to the Red Cross here in Switzerland, and they have had a look on my papers and credentials, and they said that I am educated with General Nursing and seems hopeful to get a job here. Just that they have to reexamine the validity and the length of time, like number of hours of clinical exposure, etc. and they said it might be possible that I will take an exam.

My question is that, do they have a licensure exam here as well? If so, what is the name? And is it given in German?

Anybody who knows... please do answer. It would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

Hello

I am an Australian student nurse. I am currently studying a bachelor of science nursing 3.5 years here in Perth and am relocating to Switzerland at the end of this year. I would like to know some information about finding a job as a Nurse in Switzerland, i have not been employed as a nurse here but have practical experience with my training. I have lived in Switzerland for 2 years and can speak german but have not completed any german qualification.
Is it difficult to get a job as a nurse in Switzerland considering i am only finishing my degree this year?
Any help would be fantastic.

Hello All

I wonder if there is any nurse in the forum and would like to share their experience of getting their Nursing Diploma recognize here.It seem to be a long process in spite of it should take only 3 month because you need to pass a german exam level B2 (new since last year) and then...
may be you need also to attend a Red cross training such as pratical training(in hospital for 6 month) and a course.
Any feedback about it will be really helpful?
Thank you in advance.

3 months is only for getting your qualification converted to a Swiss equivalent. It does not include the time you need to acquire one of the Swiss national languages (german, french or italian). Your application for Swiss recognition won't be granted until you have the necessary language skills.

My wife went through this though she was already fluent in German having taken A levels in German and French so it took 3 months after proving that she had the required language skills.

Hello,
My name is Kristina and currently living in USA and work as RN at ICU. My family and me planning to move to Switzerland. Could you tell me how much the nurse make after the taxes? And is it true that Switzerland doesn't have public kindergarten for 2-4year olds (my daughter will be 3 )
Thanks so much for any information!

Welcome to the forum It's true that there is no public kindergarten for this age group. And public kindergarden is not five days mornings and afternoons a week. You can find more information about the available daycare options in the Family Matters/Health area.

RESPECTED SIR, i MS.fiona antony WORKING AS staff nurse medical intensive care unit since 2yrs in one of the reputed hospitals in india. now i would like to work in switzerland as a nurse,would u please help me to achieve my goal. Thanking you, FIONA ANTONY

Hi feomol,

You need to contact each hospital respectively & the Red Cross Swiss.

I did return to work 2 years ago but have since left my post in April this year due to ongoing battles with the Red Cross Suisse in order to validate my Child Nursing degree. The swiss do not train within different sectors as a nurse like the UK therefore they found it very confusing that my degree only enables me to work as a registered child nurse & provide care to children from Newborn until 16 years of age.

After 2 years and considerable cost I was not granted the 'Reconaissance de votre titre professionnel' due to my language qualifications not being degree standard/B2 although I could complete my job and work within a neonatal Intensive Care Unit very competently.

You need to provide degree/diploma certificates of the language you shall work in up to degree standard whether that be french, german or italian depending on where you shall work within Switzerland. The website www.redcross.ch outlines all of the required qualifications and paperwork which needs to be provided in order to work as a nurse in Switzerland.

Good luck

CC

Hi I am also a registere nurse just about to leave Australia and live in Sursee-just out side of Luzern. How difficult is it to do private nursing-my german is limited!!!! Further to that how difficult is it to work in other non professional roles such as cleaning, stocking ect.

Regards Santa Teresa.

HI everyone nice forum going on here..

I am also a Registered Nurse, gained my degree in the Philippines 10 yrs ago, with CGFNS certificate for the US and IELTS, etc.

I plan to put up a small child care center for english speaking toddlers in the Basel/Zurich area.. I'm guessing I need a Swiss Certification for my Nursing degree for this venture as well?

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated

Nice week to all

I guess a lot will have to do with how many sick fluent English speaking patients you can find.......

I believe a degree or certifcation in early childhood education would be necessary, not nursing. The childcare business is fairly regulated and you need qualified persons to satisfy the service for protection of minors/children.

Hi thanks for that,,

very interesting.. so eventhough I worked in the Pediatrics unit of hospitals and have learned Child Psychology, Developmental growth and needs - from my nursing degree and that I was a mother to 2 toddlers years ago wont count?

I will surely check out those regulations and contact the governing bodies this early. I guess I thought it was as easy as how I did it in the US (Toto's not in Kansas anymore for sure

Oh yeah, this was Lillemor, I changed my username to a more appropriate one

Note that I also have a degree in Business Management hence was able to put up prior child care facility in the US. I am well aware of all specifications for the Child Care industry and being a caregiver, well at least over there..
I'm very curious if I can even get my foot in the door, so to speak, here in Switzerland!

Anyway thanks again